Taunton Courier 05 Sep 1934 Tribute to Minister Funeral of Rev Samuel JONES formerly Congregational Minister of Somerton and Langport

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Taunton Courier. Bristol and Exeter Journal and Western Advertiser Wednesday 5 Sep 1934

Page 5 Column 6


TRIBUTE TO MINISTER.

FUNERAL OF REV. S. JONES.

LARGE GATHERING AT LANGPORT.

Despite heavy rain the Langport Congregational Church was filled with mourners at the funeral service, on Tuesday afternoon, for the Rev. Samuel JONES, formerly Congregational Minister for many years at Somerton and Langport, who died at Burnham-on-Sea. The many prominent townspeople present from both Somerton and Langport exemplified the esteem in which Mr. JONES was held.

The service was conducted by the Rev. H. T. MADDEFORD, of Bournemouth, and formerly of South Petherton, who, in the course of his address, said that because he knew their departed friend so well he spoke about him with a full heart. The first thing he wanted to say about Mr. JONES was that he was a real, true follower of his Lord. He was a true Christian man. He supposed Mr. JONES found as a minister he was greatly handicapped by his extreme deafness in later years, which excluded him from much of the social affairs of the church. He had a heart very tender and very gracious. He did not know any other man who was so ready to show kindness, just as he knew no man who felt hurts or slights as he did. Those who knew him best and cultivated his friendship found his mind well informed. One thing always impressed him, he said, Mr. JONES was a man of deep convictions, who knew what he believed and gave reasons for the faith he had in him. He always thought of him as a man who did not beat the air uncertainly. The speaker got to know him when he first came to Somerset. They set out in the ministry in the same year. Rev. S. JONES came to Langport in 1894, and he (the Rev. H. F. MADDEFORD), went to South Petherton. Since that year their friendship had grown more intimate. He was speaking to many who knew Mr. JONES well, as he was minister at that church for twenty years. He was a wide reader and remembered what he read. The speaker had only heard him preach once or twice, but it had occurred to him that Mr. JONES took his office as minister very seriously. He wished he had had a few years of leisure in which, to enjoy the retirement which he so fully deserved. It was Mr. JONES' particular wish that there should be no sadness at that service.

The hymns sung were “There is a land of pure delight” and “O love that wilt not let me go.”

THE MOURNERS.

The chief mourners were Mr. Norman JONES (son); Miss Dorothy JONES (daughter); Mr. and Mrs. WESTON (brother-in-law and sister); Messrs. J. H. WORNER, Yeovil, and G. WORNER, Chard, Rev. GADSBY, Miss GUNNING, Mrs. BROWN, Nurse SCREECH, and Nurse COUSINS.

The bearers were:- Messrs. H. J. GOLLIDGE (Aller), H. W. STRANG (Somerton), G. HUSSEY, H. JEANS and E. JEANES (Langport). Others present included Rev. C. G. MARSHALL (secretary, representing the Somerset Congregational Union), Rev. Egerton SMITH, of Burnham-on-Sea (representing the Council of the Somerset Federation of Free Churches), Vicar of Langport (the Rev. J. W. PLAXTON), Rev. C. B. HUGHES (Curry Rivel), Mrs. and Miss Jones VAUGHAN (representing the Rev. Jones VAUGHAN, North-street Congregational Church, Taunton), Rev. KIRKPATRICK and Mrs. KIRKPATRICK (Sherborne, formerly of Curry Rivel), Rev. G. REES (Othery), Rev. E. Harland BRINE (Bridgwater), Mr. E. VICKERY (Evangelist, Low Ham and Henley), Messrs F. C. P. AVIS, T. NICHOLLS, J. T. A. KNIGHT, Hy. JEANES, and E. RUSSELL (deacons of the Langport Congregations Church), Messrs. W. CASE and H. WOOLF (representing Somerton Methodist Church), Vicar of Somerton (the Rev. L. J. JACKSON), Messrs. T. G. COGGAN and D. NEEDHAM (representing the managers of the Boys' and Girls' School), Messrs. E. Q. LOUCH, H. J. DENMAN, G. HODGE, S. DADE (Yeovil), J. GRINTER, W. JEANES, E. PARSONS, W. PALMER, J. F. SLADE, H. WAGLAND, W. J. WILLIAMS, S. COSSINS, C. J. CALDER, H. H. HOLE, W. R. RICHARDS, A. FORD, F. T. NORTON, A. S. KNIGHT, W. S. CLARKE (Long Sutton), A. BURGESS, O. T. V. LOCKE (Somerton), J. G. CHENEY, W. J. CULLEN, S. PEDDLE, E. PURCHASE, H. PARKER (Kingsdon), F. G. COX (Somerton), S. TRASK (Yeovil), Mr. and Mrs. W. SCAMMELL (Martock), Miss BISGROVE, Mrs. W. H. FURZE Somerton), Mrs. THYER, Mr. and Mrs. J. E. C. EDWARDS, Mrs. H. COATE, Miss HARE, Miss FORD, Mrs. J. WINTER, Mr. and Mrs. SALWAY, Mr. and Mrs. W. ROLFE, Mrs. MANNINGS, Miss F. BOWDITCH, Mrs. ATYEO, and Miss I. BROWN.

The Rev. H. T. MADDEFORD also officiated at the interment at the Cemetery. In accordance with Mr. JONES' wish there was no mourning, while the only floral tribute was a beautiful wreath from the family.


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